Of course, I've made Mashed Potatoes before but the method we used today involved a food mill, drying the potatoes in the oven after boiling to remove the water and allow the butter/milk/cream mixture to fully absorb and scalding the milk and cream before incorporating it into the butter and potatoes. I could really taste a difference in the final product. Chef Perez said it was a little thick but that was fine and it was seasoned perfectly.
Next came Pommes Anna. It's a simple potato garnish of sorts made by frying razor thin potato slices in clarified butter then baking it through. You often find Pommes Anna underneath grilled salmon or some other meat. Chef Perez said it tasted great but he wished I had used a few more potatoes and made the layers a little tighter.
Then came Potatoes Roesti. It's a simple potato patty that is fried in clarified butter. You grate a parboiled potato with skin and an onion, season and then fry them into a small non-stick saute pan. Mine came out okay. Chef Perez said I should have used a little more clarified butter but over all was happy.
Last came Pommes Dauphinoise. It's similar to Potatoes Au Gratin. This is another dish that you layer potato slices in a saute pan, season and cover with cream. You bake it for about 45 minutes and then add Gruyere cheese on top and bake until the cheese browns. You then have to let it "set" for about 30 minutes to get the firmness necessary to serve.
Unfortunately I realized with about a half an hour left before the deadline that I wasn't going to get it done perfectly. I asked Chef Perez which would be better, the dish undercooked but set or cooked through and a little sloppy. He told me it would be better for it to be firm.
So as I approach the Chef's station at the buzzer with my undercooked but nice-looking Pommes Dauphinoise, the Chef announces that he can give 15 more minutes if anyone needs it. I just about shot him. I didn't of course because he's a nice fellow and it wasn't his fault that I didn't get started on it sooner. Oh and guns are not allowed in the school.
Since I couldn't put it back in the oven, I presented it "as is" and got my lowest score ever. A 14/20. Honestly, it tasted great and it looked great but was just a bit al dente. I was bummed out until I found out that quite a few students didn't get their 4th dish in at all and in my book, a 14 is much better than a 0. Sorry there is no picture. I was a bit frantic at the time and forgot to get one.
Something I realized after today is that if I had to do Day 11 again, I would nail it. I know exactly what went wrong and where it went wrong. I mean, you really only learn a dish once and that's where the scheduling and the cooking process are most at risk to mistakes. I really shouldn't beat myself up when mistakes occur. It's part of the learning process.
Day 12 is rice day. Rice is one thing I almost always overcook so cross your fingers.
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